The move is notable because Ryan regularly stresses that he supports an “open process” and says that could mean members may need to take tough votes.
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But the result was a messy scene the GOP wants to avoid repeating. At least one member walked out after Allen’s comments, the people said. The overall spending bill is scheduled for a final vote on Thursday.
A spokeswoman for Allen acknowledged that he led the prayer at the GOP meeting but said he “made no mention of the amendment or the bill”.
“It’s unfortunate because it’s a very good bill”.
“Today’s vote is a strong reminder that equality isn’t a partisan issue”, said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. “The fact that the author of the amendment that prevailed, then turned around and voted against the bill containing his amendment tells us they’re trying to stop the appropriations process in its tracks”.
Some Republicans argued that Democrats should receive the blame Thursday because the LGBT protections amendment represented a significant win for their party, and they should have been expected to support the legislation it was attached to.
After the reversal, House Speaker Paul Ryan would initially claim that he didn’t know if House Republicans were “pressured” to change their votes.
Rep. Steve Russell, R-Okla., sponsored the Defense bill amendment that kicked off this scuffle. That prompted Rep. Sean Maloney, an openly gay Democrat from NY, to launch a concerted campaign to win House approval for a competing measure that would strengthen the provisions of Obama’s executive order by denying payment to federal contractors that discriminate. It comes after members said they were confused about exactly what they were voting for Thursday when New York Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney offered an amendment created to prevent discrimination against LGBT workers.
The amendment from openly gay Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., was approved by a vote of 223 to 195, with 43 Republicans voting in favor of the measure. The verses, from the books of Romans and Revelations, denounce homosexuality as “worthy of death”, though Allen did not explicitly mention the amendment. The Family Research Council sounded off against the measure in a Thursday statement, calling it a “vehicle to elevate sexual orientation and gender identity over faith-based hiring protections”.
Republican leaders have tried to steer lawmakers away from wading into the hot-button debate. Last year, the House’s effort to pass individual spending bills was scuttled by an amendment that would have barred funding to display the Confederate battle flag in certain situations.
The reversal prompted a loud outcry from Democratic lawmakers, who accused Republicans of favoring discrimination against the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community.
But for House Republicans from deep-red districts, such floor fights are less “embarrassing” than they are politically useful.
Democrats, meanwhile, are exploiting the GOP divide.
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In response to the events Wednesday night, Democratic leader and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi issued a statement condemning Rep. Byrne’s amendment. “Every time that Republicans give us the opportunity, we’re going to take it”.
